Author Topic: Installing oem box magazine  (Read 4472 times)

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FusiousMach10

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Installing oem box magazine
« on: November 09, 2020, 09:14:15 PM »
I just purchased a Chinese SKS and it was converted to take detachable magazines. I never cared for converting SKSs to take detachable magazine so I found a serial numbered OEM magazine to put back into it. For the life of me I cannot get it too fit. I have gone though about 15 pages of the forums here and have tried several things. I have made sure the  bolt Was back while trying to install it. I took the barrel assembly out of the stock and tried to install the magazine onto the barrel assembly To make sure it wasn’t a wood issue.  Even after taking the stock out of the picture the magazine still seems to be a little too long to fit. I Do not think any other parts were messed with when they converted it to take detachable magazines but I am not extremely familiar with SKSs so I am not sure.  Any suggestions on what to do or look for ? I read on another thread here that Chinese SKSs can be hit or miss with fitting OEM magazines. I hope that’s not the case cause they look like they are going for $90.00 plus online. I payed $50.00 for the one I got today and it came with a 30 round and 20 round detachable magazine as well. Thanks.

Greatguns

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Re: Installing oem box magazine
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2020, 11:12:43 PM »
Many times there is a fit issue when you have a pinned barrel receiver and are fitting a non-original mag to it. Even if it is a Chinese mag. If the mag is off of a threaded barrel receiver you may have to file away some of the metal on the tang at the front of the mag where it fits into the slot on the bottom of the rear sight housing. File a little at a time until the back of the mag inner housing just fits up into place along the bottom side of the receiver magwell area. I usually do this with the stock off as it is easier to do your test fits between filing and can better see where the interference is. Also, something to remember, when fitting any firearm part, a little is a lot. Better to file and check fit 4 times before it fits right than to grind a bunch off and end up with a piece of scrap metal.

I will throw this out there as well, just in case, The trigger assembly has to be removed for the mag inner housing to fit up into place. If you haven't removed the trigger group the mag will never go in. I only say this because you didn't specifically mention that you removed it and I don't know your working knowledge level on the SKS. (I figure better safe than sorry)

Rocketvapor

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Re: Installing oem box magazine
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2020, 11:22:43 PM »
Here's some pics I've posted in the past.
Might help.










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PAX

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Re: Installing oem box magazine
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2020, 02:24:37 AM »
You didn't happen to mention if it took AK mags or duck bill. PAX
"A free people ought not only be armed and disciplined", George Washington,
"but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of Independence from any who might attempt to abuse them." Sent from behind the KaliKurtain. PAX

FusiousMach10

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Re: Installing oem box magazine
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2020, 09:30:23 AM »
Many times there is a fit issue when you have a pinned barrel receiver and are fitting a non-original mag to it. Even if it is a Chinese mag. If the mag is off of a threaded barrel receiver you may have to file away some of the metal on the tang at the front of the mag where it fits into the slot on the bottom of the rear sight housing. File a little at a time until the back of the mag inner housing just fits up into place along the bottom side of the receiver magwell area. I usually do this with the stock off as it is easier to do your test fits between filing and can better see where the interference is. Also, something to remember, when fitting any firearm part, a little is a lot. Better to file and check fit 4 times before it fits right than to grind a bunch off and end up with a piece of scrap metal.

I will throw this out there as well, just in case, The trigger assembly has to be removed for the mag inner housing to fit up into place. If you haven't removed the trigger group the mag will never go in. I only say this because you didn't specifically mention that you removed it and I don't know your working knowledge level on the SKS. (I figure better safe than sorry)

Thank you for all the information. I did have the Trigger assembly removed.

FusiousMach10

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Re: Installing oem box magazine
« Reply #5 on: November 10, 2020, 09:32:35 AM »
Here's some pics I've posted in the past.
Might help.










Thank you for the pictures. I will definitely use them when I work on it later.

FusiousMach10

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Re: Installing oem box magazine
« Reply #6 on: November 10, 2020, 09:33:50 AM »
You didn't happen to mention if it took AK mags or duck bill. PAX

It takes the duckbill mags right now.

Greatguns

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Re: Installing oem box magazine
« Reply #7 on: November 10, 2020, 11:42:34 AM »
Good set of pics there RV

Fusious, pics 2 and 3 show what I was talking about.

PAX

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Re: Installing oem box magazine
« Reply #8 on: November 10, 2020, 02:04:17 PM »
You didn't happen to mention if it took AK mags or duck bill. PAX

It takes the duckbill mags right now.

Should be a straight replacement then. Follow what others have said. PM inbound. PAX
"A free people ought not only be armed and disciplined", George Washington,
"but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of Independence from any who might attempt to abuse them." Sent from behind the KaliKurtain. PAX

FusiousMach10

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Re: Installing oem box magazine
« Reply #9 on: November 15, 2020, 09:30:08 PM »
So now I have two OEM magazines and neither of them are fitting so I will have to file them a little. Before I do, is there anyway I can verify they are indeed Chinese SKS magazines? And if they are from another country will they still work when filed a little or will I run into other issues? I was told they were off Chinese SKSs but I have nothing to compare them too. Thanks again.

PAX

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Re: Installing oem box magazine
« Reply #10 on: November 15, 2020, 09:54:25 PM »
Do the duck bill mags you've got fit easily? If so, try everything on just the bare receiver. Install TG and then a duck & remove a bunch of times. Do the ducks have evidence of being worked over on the connector lip? It should work. Picts would be useful. PAX

PS, if one of the mags you've got is scrubbed, I'd trade you for one that's garuuunteeed to work  :?. PAX
"A free people ought not only be armed and disciplined", George Washington,
"but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of Independence from any who might attempt to abuse them." Sent from behind the KaliKurtain. PAX

FusiousMach10

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Re: Installing oem box magazine
« Reply #11 on: November 15, 2020, 10:48:20 PM »
Do the duck bill mags you've got fit easily? If so, try everything on just the bare receiver. Install TG and then a duck & remove a bunch of times. Do the ducks have evidence of being worked over on the connector lip? It should work. Picts would be useful. PAX

PS, if one of the mags you've got is scrubbed, I'd trade you for one that's garuuunteeed to work  :?. PAX

The duck bill mags do fit easy. I took the receiver out like you mentioned and put the trigger group back on. I put several differant duckbills on a few times and there is no sign of any poor fitting. I will see if I can put a few pictures of the magazines on here and where it is getting stuck. I am guessing what everyone has been saying is correct and it just needs filed. It looks like it would work. I just want to make sure it’s the right magazines so I am not filing something that won’t work anyway. Thanks.

Greatguns

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Re: Installing oem box magazine
« Reply #12 on: November 16, 2020, 09:02:41 AM »
Usually
So now I have two OEM magazines and neither of them are fitting so I will have to file them a little. Before I do, is there anyway I can verify they are indeed Chinese SKS magazines? And if they are from another country will they still work when filed a little or will I run into other issues? I was told they were off Chinese SKSs but I have nothing to compare them too. Thanks again.

Usually you can tell the mag by the SN although there are a few variances with a few mags. Albanians are rare and different from all others. One Chinese factory, but I can't remember which one right now(306 or 906???), have been know to have a dimple in the bill portion of the box bottom where all others are flat. Yugo mags many times will have a part number on the side with a bunch of zeros then the SN on the bottom. Russians, of course, have the Cyrillic letters before the SN.

FusiousMach10

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Re: Installing oem box magazine
« Reply #13 on: November 23, 2020, 05:01:24 PM »
So I am still putting off filing down a magazine since I have a few other things I can work on and I am still trying to find another magazine locally. I figured I would give it a few weeks. I found a Yugoslavian one. Is there a possibility it could work or is there something preventing a Yugoslavian magazine from working in a Chinese SKS? Thanks.

Greatguns

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Re: Installing oem box magazine
« Reply #14 on: November 23, 2020, 05:40:50 PM »
No difference, but Yugo SKSs by nature are a little more robust so it may or may not drop in. I had a Chinese SKS that needed a mag once. I took another Chinese mag and it wouldn't fit Grabbed a Russian mag and it dropped right in. There is enough tolerance variation from any one SKS to another, even within the same country, that it can be a crap shoot on any given part.

Have a pinned barrel Chinese SKS with an unnumbered stock on it. Went to try a numbered stock off of a pinned barrel parts kit I bought on gunbroker and it won't fit unless I inlet the back of the stock to allow the trigger group to lock in. Couple years apart in build year and different arsenal.